The invention relates to a system and a method for controlling access to a secured area for the delivery of parcel shipments.
During the delivery of parcel shipments, a delivery by the parcel carrier often fails due to the absence of the recipient. The parcel shipment must then be left by the parcel carrier at a post office, at a packet shop or with a neighbor, for example. The recipient has to pick up the shipment intended for him or her at the specified location, wherein the recipient is dependent upon the opening times of the establishment or the presence of the neighbor, respectively. Alternatively, a delivery can be made to central parcel stations. A disadvantage here, however, is that the shipment must be retrieved by the recipient. Parcel mail boxes for single and multi-family dwellings are additionally known. Parcel mail boxes for multi-family dwellings are usually installed within the building. In order to deliver a parcel shipment, the parcel carrier making the delivery must then gain access to the building on the one hand and have access to the parcel mail boxes on the other hand. In some places, postal carriers may have a key to the front door, but parcel carriers do not. Moreover, it is impracticable to carry a key for each house in the delivery area, especially in large cities. Therefore, it is rarely possible to gain access to the building or access to a parcel mail box if the recipient is absent.
A system for controlling access is known from DE 10 2012 205 379 A1, for example. In this case, a door camera installed at the front door is used to record an image. This image is evaluated on the basis of previously defined patterns and is checked against patterns stored in a database. Depending upon the result of the evaluation, the door is opened. Using this pattern recognition, it is possible to recognize the face of a person seeking access, for example. A disadvantage here is that corresponding pattern information must be recorded for each parcel carrier who is supposed to gain access to the building and must be stored for later evaluation in the database. Furthermore, recognition of this type is highly prone to error, since entry into the building could be denied depending upon the facial expression of the person or depending upon the lighting conditions. Moreover, it is undesirable to grant all parcel carriers access to the building at all times. In addition, an identification code displayed on a mobile terminal via the camera can be evaluated, for example. To do so, however, the person seeking access must carry a corresponding device at all times and it must be configured to receive the identification codes.
A method for depositing parcels in a locker system is known from DE 10 246 650 A1. It is provided that a parcel carrier identifies himself or herself at the locker system, such as by means of a PIN or an identification card. The parcel carriers must always carry a handheld device in order to scan the shipment number and, based on the shipment number as well as the date and time, to generate a collection number, with which the recipient can open the locker system. The collection number must be transmitted to the recipient. Disadvantageously, each parcel carrier must be personally registered before using the system in this method, as well. Moreover, the parcel carrier must always carry the handheld device with him or her.
A method and a system for securely delivering a parcel have become known from EP 2 075 769 A2. To gain access to the secured area, the parcel carrier must enter the shipment number of the parcel to be delivered by means of a number panel on an electronic lock. The electronic lock checks the shipment number entered against a shipment number previously received from the delivery company and opens if the shipment numbers match. After a prescribed period of time, the electronic lock is locked again. The shipment numbers must be activated as an opening code beforehand. Either the recipient has to save them manually in the electronic lock or the electronic lock must be configured to receive e-mails from the delivery companies, from which it then retrieves shipment information. The retrieval occurs by means of supplier-specific templates that are to be saved in the electronic lock. Additionally, on the basis of a further template, the web-based shipment tracking of the respective delivery company is called up using the shipment number and the shipment status is retrieved. The electronic lock sends a query to the delivery providers hourly or daily as to the shipment status of the shipments for which the electronic lock has received an e-mail with a shipment number. A disadvantage is that the system must be configured to ensure the receipt of e-mails from the delivery companies. Furthermore, the recognition of shipment numbers and shipment statuses via templates stored in the system is very prone to error. For instance, if a delivery company changes the structure of the e-mails or the website, the template will no longer function. This makes continuous updates of the template on all systems necessary. It is also possible that the system will not accept a shipment number entered by the parcel carrier because the shipment status is not current, since the system may not have retrieved it yet on the day of delivery.